Protect Your Personal Property

Follow these suggestions to protect your belongings from loss due to theft or fire:

Bolts, clips, ammunition, and other functional parts of guns can be stored in different locations to prevent theft, or accidental discharge by children.

DO NOT engrave your social security number on items. It compromises your SSN and police cannot use it to trace and return recovered property.

Firearms are easy for a thief to dispose of. Use gun locks to secure the firing mechanisms. Residents can get free gunlocks from the Police Department.

Jewelry, valuables, cash, etc., should NOT be stored in the master bedroom. This is the first place a burglar will look.

Keep an inventory, including the make, model, color, size, serial number and purchase price of your valuables.

Photograph all valuables that cannot be engraved, such as antiques, jewelry, coins, silver, china, etc., and record the description on the back. A series of photos could be made of each room or videotape the contents of your home.

Televisions, cameras, bikes, radios, microwave ovens, rifles, tools, and lawn equipment, etc. should be engraved with a driver's license number beginning with the state abbreviation (ex. MI-S-000-000-000-000).

An alarm system can provide valuable protection if installed correctly and used responsibly. An alarm is a factor when a thief picks a target – most would prefer to go where there is no alarm. Read on...